


Racetrack x Reader

by Eijima_Fukushima



Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:47:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22996423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eijima_Fukushima/pseuds/Eijima_Fukushima
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1  
(Y/N)'s POV  
I feel someone trying to shake me awake. I roll over to face them. "Whadda you want?" It's Jack, my older brother.  
"Get up! It's time to carry the banner!" He bounds away into the bathroom while I stumble off my bunk. I notice Crutchie trying to reach his fallen crutch from his bed, and go over to help him.  
"Good mornin' Crutchie," I say as I hand his crutch to him. "Thanks (Y/N)!" he says. Crutchie is so nice.  
As Crutchie goes off to get ready, I see Race wandering around with his shirt off. He approaches me.  
"Hey (Y/N)! Hows are you?"  
"Put a shirt on, Race," I return.  
"Feisty this mornin'?" I simply sigh and walk away. I can't deal with him right now.  
\----  
At the circulation desk I get in line next to Crutchie.  
"I hope the headline's good!" Crutchie says with his usual enthusiasm. The line inches along until I'm up.  
"Hey Weasel, fifty papes."  
"My name is Wiesel!"  
"Sure, now gimme my papes." A stack of fifty papers are smacked on the counter by Oscar Delancey who gives his usual intimidating look. I pick them up and shove them in my news bag. After Race tries to bargain with Wiesel he comes up to me. "Wanna sell together?" Jack overhears and comments, "That's a good idea. Davey's sick, so you can sell with Race."  
I usually sell with Davey–we're good friends. Sometimes Les tags along, but mostly he sells with Specs.  
"Oh, Jackie, please no," I say. I gave him the nickname Jackie when we were little and it stuck.  
"C'mon, it ain't that bad. Now, you two better get goin'," Jack says. Curse my brother. Of all the newsies I get Race! Why couldn't I sell with Elmer or Albert?  
"Let's go, I wanna sells all my papes. I bet youse do too." I reply with an eye roll and start walking to my selling spot. Race follows me, and on the walk there we start selling.  
"Raging fire terrifies thousands!" I yell hoping to catch someone with a fake headline.  
"That's a good one, (Y/N). Sounds like something Jack would say," Race comments.  
"Well Race, I'm Jack's sista, so it ain't that surprisin'," I say to him sharply. He laughs and continues to shout his own fake headlines.  
\----  
Today wasn't that bad, but I hope I never have to sell with Race again. He tried to flirt with me a few times, but as soon as I slapped him he cut it out. We are walking back to the Lodging House in silence when Race starts up.  
"Did you ever get a newsie name? Like how mines is Racetrack 'cause I bet at the races so much." I debate answering, but I'm tired and don't really care.  
"Yeah. When Jack and I first became newsies I was nicknamed Sharp. The others said I had a sharp temper and a sharp mind. I hated it though, and I soaked so many of 'em that they stopped callin' me that." He glances my way and I see the look in his eyes he first had with Katherine. Does he like me? Hopefully not. I give him a death glare and he looks away.  
We're back at the Lodging House and on my way in I see Les leaving. I catch him before he turns down the other block.  
"Hey, Les, tell Davey to get better. 'K?"  
"Sure. I'll tell him you're worried about your crush!" He gives a little laugh. I turn a shade of pink you could almost call red.  
"Les! I don't like Davey. Don't tell him that!"  
"Fine," he says, "I won't. See you tomorrow!" No one ever gets mad at Les, but he can be annoying sometimes.  
I turn back to Race and he's giving me a funny look that has an undertone of worried.  
"You don't really think I like Davey, right? We'se just friends." He gets pink at that. He likes me, doesn't he?  
"No, I know Les was just kiddin'," he says shakily.  
\----  
That night I think about Racetrack. If he did like me would it be that terrible? I mean, he has cute features. His eyes are pretty and his laugh is cute I have to give him that. No, I don't want to like Race. I can't like Race. Jack would kill him if he found out.  
Higgins, you just made my life harder.


	2. Chapter Two

Jack and Crutchie slept on the roof that night. As I lie there thinking, I had almost convinced myself that I didn't like Racetrack.  
I wake up to the boys milling around me. I pull my body out of bed to start the day. I ignore Race on my way to the bathroom.  
\----  
I met Davey at the gates. "How was selling with Race yesterday (Y/N)?," he asks, joking.  
"What did Les tell ya?" I ask. That little rascal, he's gonna get it when I see him next.  
"Just that you were worried about me, and that Jack made you sell with Race," he says. "I was fine, it was just a bad cold. I didn't feel up to selling."  
"Good, now gets out of my way so I can see da headline," I say and push him away.  
"Can we sell together today?" he asks, unsure.  
"Of course! I don't want to sell with Race again," I say.  
\----  
Davey walks me back to the Lodge so he can pick up Les from Specs.  
"How hard do you think Jack would soak Race if he liked me?" I ask him.  
"Hard. Jack would hate it. Being an older brother I can understand it. I don't even want Race around Les that much. He's addicted to gambling and tobacco, not the guy you want to be dating or whatever."  
"But don't you think he might have a caring good side?" I ask Davey.  
"Maybe, but if he doesn't I don't want you to get hurt." He turns and gives me a look I see him give Les sometimes. "Look, (Y/N), if you like Race I think that's fine, but you can't tell Jack, and you can't try to date him."  
"I, ah, I don't l-like Race," I stutter.  
"Come on, (Y/N), I know you too well for that. I know the look you give him, and you've never trash-talked someone so much."  
"Fine, I might like him."  
"Okay, just don't tell Jack," Davey says with a laugh as we get to the Lodging House.  
"Not tell me what?" I hear Jack say from the porch. Oh, no.


	3. Chapter Three

"Not tell me what?" I hear Jack say from the porch. Oh, no.  
"I, ah, n-nothing." I stutter.  
"It's clearly something, Davey?" he turns to Davey, but Davey just stands there, blank.  
"Umm, uh, uh, nothing," he says. This isn't going well. I push past Jack into the Lodging House. Davey tries to follow me, but Jack stops him. I keep walking, but I hear Jack ask Davey, "What's really happenin'."  
Pretty soon I see Davey get Les, and they head home. Jack leaves me alone the rest of the night, and I don't see him do anything to Race. Davey must not have told him anything.   
\----  
I hear Crutchie rolling around in his bed and I decided to go check on him. I can tell he’s having a nightmare about the Refuge. It’s the only time he rolls like that, and it’s the only thing he has nightmares about. I shake him awake and sit on the side of the bed.  
"I-I, it-it, w-was," he stutters out.   
"Shh, it's okay. You're not there no more. You're here, safe, with us," I motion around to the other sleeping newsies.   
"S-Sn-Snyder," he says out of breath.   
"He's in jail. He can't get to you now," I say trying to comfort him.  
"Y-yeah. I'm safe," he manages with a catch in his throat.   
"Are you okay for tonight by you-self?" I ask him.  
"Could y-you actually stay?" he asks. I can tell it hurts his confidence to ask.   
"Yeah, o' course I can," I tell him. He lies back down. I lie there next to him.   
After a minute he says, "You know I's gay, right?" he asks me unsure.  
"I assumed so, yeah," I tell him.  
"Good. I didn't want youse to think I like you, and then this be awkward, and,"  
I cut him off, "Crutchie, it's fine. You's like a brudda to me. It would never be awkward. "  
We lie there the rest of the night. Comfortably, together.  
\----  
When Crutchie is getting up in the morning he accidentally hits me with his crutch.  
"Oh, sorry!" He says.  
"No, it's fine," I tell him calmly. I get up and go to my bunk to get my stuff. I grab my vest and over-shirt. (That’s the shirt she’s putting on over her sleep/undershirt.) I go into the bathroom to get ready. I put my over-shirt over my (F/C) undershirt. I shrug on my vest also. It's a little too big, because it used to be Jack's. I braid my (H/C) hair down my back.   
(If you have short hair skip to the time skip, and pretend you shove it into your hat. lol, sorry)  
"How do youse do that?" Crutchie asks me in awe while I braid my hair. He looks at me like I'm working magic.  
"I guess I's just magic!" I say jokingly.   
\----  
I catch Davey and Les at the circulation gate.   
"Hey Davey! We're selling together today, right?" I ask him with cheerfulness brimming in my voice.   
"Sorry, no. I'll explain later," he says coldly and walks away. What was that?   
Wait, that means I have no selling partner. I walk up to Racetrack who was trying to bet with Specs.  
"We're selling together today," I say to his back.


	4. Chapter 4

"We're selling together today," I say to his back. Racetrack turns around.  
"Finally came around and realized ya' like me?" he says, nudging my arm.  
"Um, no," I say. What I think is, actually maybe.  
"Davey isn't selling with me today, so I need a partner. You's the only one who don't have a partner today."  
He looks at me surprised, and I can see him trying to flirt in his look. This is going to be a long day. To start it off, I slap him across the face leaving it a little red.  
He looks hurt and gives me his version of puppy eyes. They're pitiful but also really cute.  
"Oh, get over ya-self. Now, I wanna get goin'. Let's get our papes and start." We get in line together, with him in front of me. After he does his usual gambling try with Wiesel, it's my turn.  
"How many, (Y/N)" Wiesel asks me, barely looking up.  
"My usual, fifty papes," I tell him.  
Oscar shoves my papers at me, and I take them, ignoring his scary look.  
"C'mon. Let's get goin'. I wanna sell all my papes," I tell Race.  
\----  
After my day of selling, I have a few papers leftover and I want to sell them back to Wiesel.  
"Hey, Race, I'll meet you at the Lodging House. I'm selling back my leftover papes."  
"Fine," he responds, "I'll see ya later. And, I enjoyed today. Selling with you I mean."  
"Oh, shut-up," I say, blushing as I walk away.  
"Don't let the Delanceys get to ya," he calls after me.  
"I neva' do," I call back.  
\----  
I get to the circulation desk and I see Oscar and Wiesel waiting there. I overhear Wiesel say, "Don't look like anyone but (Y/N) is comin' tonight. I'll let you handle her. See you tomorrow."  
I walk up to the desk as he walks away, and I toss my leftover papers at Oscar.  
"How many?" he asks me, not bothering to count.  
"Five," I tell him.  
"Fine," he says as he takes the papers and gives me my money.  
I start to walk away, but he comes around the desk and stops me.  
"Whadda you want, Oscar?" I say his name in a way I can tell makes him mad.  
He grabs my shirt, twists it in his fist, and shoves me up against a wall. The impact is surprising and hard. Ignoring the pain in my back I look up at him, trying to hide the fear in my face.  
"Don't ever try to look tough around me, girl. You shouldn't even be out here. It's called a newsboy for a reason," he says. I muster up the courage to say what I say next.  
"Youse don't like me 'cause I'm a girl? That's what this is about," I say to him.  
With that, I feel him release my shirt. I relax a little bit, but I get an unexpected punch in the eye. My had goes up to my eye, and Oscar punches me in the stomach. I double over.  
That next thing I know I'm lying on the ground with Oscar kicking me. I hold back screams, and the beating stops.  
"I think that ought to teach you," he says, and he walks away.  
I lie there in pain, and I know I need to get to the Lodging House.  
I try to stand but crumble immediately. This is bad.  
I try again and manage to get on my feet. My body is screaming with sharp pains almost everywhere, but I ignore it. Luckily, the Lodging House isn't far away and after a while of falling and forcing myself to get back up, I collapse onto the porch of the House.  
I hear the door open after a minute of lying there. I can't tell who it is until I hear their voice.  
"(Y/N)! Oh no," Racetrack says, "Boys, get out here. I found her." I hear the others rush out, and I look up to see Jack pushing through them.  
"What happened! Who?" he growls.


	5. Chapter 5

"What happened! Who?" he growls.  
"Jack, I-," I try to say, but I'm interrupted by a shooting pain in my side.  
He comes over and helps lift me up. Race rushes to help too. They manage to get me inside and on a bed. I catch a glimpse of Crutchie, and he looks petrified. I know he's having flashbacks to the Refuge, seeing a kid beat up like this. I feel bad that I'm the one who caused them.  
They get Specs to look at me, he's the doctor here. He says nothing is broken, but I will have some pretty terrible bruises. He says I shouldn't sell tomorrow.  
Once the boys get Jack to calm down he sits at the end of the bad and listens to all of this.  
After Specs has done his best to clean me up, Jack starts with the questions.  
"Who?"  
"Do we have to do this right now, Jackie?" I ask him. I'm tired and don't want to do go through his whole interview.  
"Yes," what can I say, Jack's persistent, "Who?"  
"Oscar Delancey," I tell him. I see his face first fall, then get angry. "Please don't do anything."  
He calms enough to go on to the next question.  
"Why?"  
"Well," I say, trying to procrastinate telling him.  
"Why?" he says again with more force.  
"I was returning my five leftove' papes, and he started hitting me 'cause I'm a girl, is what he said at least."  
Jack lets out some kind of growl thing, and then he mutters something under his breath.  
"Jack, what is it?"  
"I knew you were gonna get soaked for being a girl sometime. I just thought we had a little more time." He says this with both anger and sadness.  
"I'm fine. This was nothing," I know it's a lie. I'm actually in a lot of pain.  
"No, you heard what Specs said," he tells me, "This isn't good."  
Race walks over and I'm honestly glad to see him. A sight besides my brother being worried, a good distraction, and a cute one.  
"Hey, Jack," he says, "I think youse should get some sleep. I'll stay here with her."  
"Fine, but don't you try anything, Higgins," Jack says as he walks to the rooftop.  
Race nods and takes Jack's place on my bed.  
"Are you okay?" he asks in an innocent but concerned tone.  
"I mean, I have a pretty bad black eye and my side hurts real bad, but yeah, I's okay."  
"Good. Will you be able to sell tomorrow?" he asks. Gosh, I just can't get away from questions.  
"Specs says I can't. I just don't want Oscar to think he scared me off."  
"I'll tell him. You have nothin' to worry about."  
"Good."  
Race gets up and starts to walk away, but I call after him.  
"Wait, Race! Could youse stay with me tonight?"  
"Sure, just as long as Jack don't know," he jokes.  
"C'mon, he lets me stay with Crutchie."  
"A, Crutchie is gay. B, Jack trusts him. C, Crutchie would never hurt anyone. D, they're like bruddas. I don't think I get any of those benefits."  
"Yeah, I guess. I don't care though, come back here," I tell him. He comes over and lies down with me. We stay there for the rest of the night. His breathing steady and nice, but I can tell he's nervous around me.  
I think I like him. No, I know I like him.


End file.
